As a new television series reveals the tricks of restyling old clothes, a Telegraph
writer learns how to salvage her cherished – but dated – kaftan

Armed with just a tape measure, a pair of shears and a mouthful of colourful pins, Arianna Cadwallader is about to work magic on my favourite old black kaftan. A designer leftover from the Eighties, its outrageously loud orange and green tropical flowers have rendered it unwearable today.

But this fashion faux pas can be fabulous again. Pinching a few inches in at the waist, twisting the neckline, raising the hem . . . she moves so swiftly and decisively I’m struggling to keep up. “Yes, we’ll pull it in here, up here, down there – and let’s whip out those old shoulder pads, too.”

Et voilà: the Cornish seamstress has revamped a much-loved but very outdated bit of vintage. I’ve gone from channelling Joan Collins at St-Tropez in 1985 to feeling bang on trend for a day out at Wimbledon cheering on Andy Murray.

Actually, nothing could be more à la mode these days than vintage gear. The credit crunch persuaded Vogue to feature old couture alongside haute, and Topshop has been selling stylish secondhand clobber in its Oxford Street flagship for years. Fashion points are scored nowadays by taking an old designer garment and “upcycling” it; that is, making it more modern or flattering with a few thoughtful alterations, rather than consigning it to a charity shop.

That is precisely the premise behind This Old Thing, the new Channel 4 show presented by girl-about-town Dawn O’Porter, a long-standing fan of “pre-loved” outfits whose trademark look is a Mary Quant-style bob and heavy Sixties eyeliner.

In the new series, O’Porter – who owes her love of fashion to the uncle and aunt who were furriers in the rag trade, and who raised her after the death of her mother – invites a small army of experts to tailor, resize and revamp forgotten items owned by members of the public who want to breathe life back into beloved but out-of-fashion garments. This means almost anything, from hotpants to leather jackets.

Cadwallader, 33, is one of the crack sewing squad on the show, and owes her expertise to a degree in historical costume construction at Wimbledon School of Art five years ago. Since then, she has been making wedding dresses and hats (she is also a trained milliner), and teaching others a bit of make-do-and-mend and general sewing basics – the sort of techniques that used to be taught as standard in schools.

Her Chelsea studio, where we meet so that she can turn my favourite kaftan into something wearable in 2014, is full of the most glorious items, including a sailor dress modelled on a 1953 Chanel couture design. Her degree project was the construction of a full-length lined leather flying coat as worn by the aviator Amy Johnson. Being a stitcher-in-chief on a wardrobe makeover show is a bit of a dream job. (She’s also working on O’Porter’s upcycled clothing line, Bob, which revitalises the most gorgeous second-hand designer pieces for sale online.)

Clearly, Cadwallader can handle projects a lot more complex than my old kaftan – but it’s fascinating to see her work and join in a bit, too. Cadwallader, who probably owes her confidence in sewing to her mother (“she didn’t use patterns – she just looked at something, like a skirt suit, and ran it up”), believes that more of us should be altering and improving our clothes to make them original, and just to fit better.

Although she seems very decisive – “just cut that slice of hem off” – she warns that one of the most common mistakes is to hack away too much material at the outset, especially when taking something in: “People forget they need to leave fabric for seams.”

When stitching a new hem on my kaftan, she uses a double needle, which will enable it to stretch with the garment, which is made from jersey. Together, we machine away quickly; upcycling can be as fast a fashion fix as any trip to the high street. And getting clothes fitted, as the Duchess of Cambridge knows (all of her high-street pieces are altered), can turn a cheap cotton dress into something that looks four times as expensive.

You don’t need to love fashion or sewing to know that our passion for vintage isn’t going away. While its rise in popularity has certainly owed something to the recession, industry experts think we’ve grown so used to scouring charity shops for bargains that many won’t be shaking the second-hand habit, even with the downturn over.

Lynnette Peck, owner of Lovely’s Vintage Emporium, voted the UK’s best online vintage fashion shop last year, says: “People are looking for individuality. Globalisation means every high street around the world is looking increasingly similar, and the only way to ensure you don’t go to a party or wedding in the same outfit as someone else is to go vintage.”

She thinks that a change in attitude has helped, too. “It’s not about smelly old clothes and granny’s jumble sale cast-offs, but beautiful pieces from the past with provenance – in many cases, they are much better made than modern clothing. Vintage is even being worn on the red carpet, so that’s having an effect.”

Indeed, vintage is now so established that experts are seeing seasonal trends emerge. “This summer,” says Peck, “is all about kimono-style jackets, Fifties circle skirts and tropical prints.”

Ah . . . tropical. That sounds like the bright pattern swirling over my kaftan. How is Cadwallader getting on? About 90 minutes after she started her work, my dress is finished. Its sides have been scooped in, and a belt made from excess material gives shape to my waist, which the kaftan previously drowned. The unflattering straight neckline is now a sexy V, with a rolled edge. The hem is neatly up and the dowdy mid-calf skirt ends bang on my knee. The shoulder pads are in the bin.

Pairing it with my favourite new black peep-toe shoes bought in Berlin (O’Porter recommends that you never wear head-to-toe vintage unless you want to look like you should be a museum display), I’ve gained a smart summer outfit that could go from beach to courtside without a murmur.

This old thing? Well, it’s new to me.

This Old Thing: The Vintage Clothes Show is on Channel 4, Wednesdays, 8pm.